ABBA
Partit ABBA
LeaderIvan Grech Mintoff
Founded22 October 2021 (2021-10-22)
Preceded byAlleanza Bidla
Ideology
Political positionFar-right[1][6]
European affiliationECPM
Colours  White
  Red
  Purple
Slogan"Dignity to Malta"
(Maltese: "Dinjità lil Malta")
House of Representatives
0 / 79
Website
abba.mt

ABBA (Maltese: Partit ABBA) is a far-right and Christian right political party in Malta.

History

The party was founded in 2021 by Ivan Grech Mintoff, the former leader of Alleanza Bidla.[7] The party's registrations was initially refused by the Electoral Commission due to the party's name not being able to be shortened to an acronym. In response to this ABBA filed a judicial protest claiming the commission was discriminating against them. The Electoral Commission later agreed to register the party.[7][8] ABBA took part in the 2022 Maltese General Elections with candidates in all 13 districts,[9] they received 0.42% of votes.[10] Some ABBA candidates which ran in the election where also members of the Christian Charismatic Pentecostal group River of Love.[11]

Ideology

ABBA is against COVID restrictions, forming two trade unions in an attempt to fight against them.[12] The party wishes for a national referendum to take place on the Recreational Use of Cannabis, believing the laws introduced that partially legalised recreational cannabis in Malta go against their Christian beliefs.[13]

The party describes itself as pro-life, with founder Ivan Mintoff claiming the Labour and Nationalist parties are "proposing a culture of death" and wish to legalise abortion. The party has filed a police complaint demanding the criminal investigation of 18 Maltese pro-choice activists and organisations.[14] Certain members of the party have espoused various controversial beliefs such as vaccine scepticism, being in favour of freedom of choice.[15]

Electoral history

House of Representatives

Election Leader Votes  % Seats +/– Rank Status
2022 Ivan Grech Mintoff 1,364 0.46%
0 / 79
 New 5th Extra-parliamentary

References

  1. 1 2 "Who needs the Far Right, anyway, when we have PN/PL?". MaltaToday.com.mt.
  2. ↑ "New party ABBA looks to River of Love for election candidates". Times of Malta.
  3. ↑ Mallia, Amy (29 March 2022). "From ABBA To Żaren: Here's How Malta's Small Political Parties And Independent Candidates Did This Election". Lovin Malta.
  4. ↑ "Election Playbook: Getting an ABBA-ortion". MaltaToday.com.mt.
  5. ↑ "ABBA goes to court over registration as political party". Times of Malta.
  6. 1 2 Cilia, Johnathan (7 March 2022). "Gay Conversion Advocate, Far Right Candidates And More Join 'Religious' Party ABBA". Lovin Malta.
  7. 1 2 "ABBA registered as a new political party". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  8. ↑ "ABBA goes to court over registration as political party". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  9. ↑ "Electoral Commission of Malta General Election 2022 - All nominations". electoral.gov.mt. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  10. ↑ "Electoral Commission of Malta". electoral.gov.mt. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  11. ↑ "New party ABBA looks to River of Love for election candidates". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  12. ↑ "ABBA sets up trade unions to fight against COVID restrictions". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  13. ↑ Bonnici, Kelly (2022-02-15). "Recreational Use of Cannabis: A National Referendum". Abba. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  14. ↑ "ABBA wants police to investigate 18 activists for breaking abortion laws". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  15. ↑ Cilia, Johnathan (2022-03-07). "Gay Conversion Advocate, Far Right Candidates And More Join 'Religious' Party ABBA". Lovin Malta. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
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